Keep the Wreaths Red: Fire Safe Holidays

Last updated: Public Relations Specialist | Wednesday, December 03, 2014

Wreaths with red bulbs are displayed at each of the Village's fire stations through January 1, 2015. If a holiday related fire occurs during this time, one of the red lights in each station's wreath will be changed to white.

The Downers Grove Fire Department asks that residents do their part to practice fire safety during the holiday months with the following tips:

Around the Home

Make sure you have a workingsmoke alarm on each level of the home and in each bedroom or sleeping area.

Electrical cords should not be run under rugs or past doorways.

Use power strips in place of extension cords.

Never leave candles unattended. If you are having a party, candles should only be lit in the attended rooms.

Consider using the new flameless candles. They provide the same ambience, with none of the dangers.

Fireplaces should be cleaned annually, if used on a regular basis. Do not burn any foreign objects in fireplaces. A fireplace screen should always be in use.

Turkey deep fryers are for outdoor use only. Never leave the fryer unattended, even for a few minutes.

Trees and Lights

Do not allow trees to block any exit paths in the home.

Live trees should be kept at least three feet from any heat source.

Check the water level daily on live trees. All live trees and boughs should be disposed of immediately after the holiday, before they dry out.

No more than three strings of lights should be connected together for use on trees.

Make sure outdoor decorations and lights are approved for outdoor use.

Hours

About

The Village of Downers Grove, IL, population 48,867, is located 22 miles west of Chicago. Convenient access to Chicago via rail and several major expressways make Downers Grove a prime location to live, work and do business. Several major corporations have business operations in Downers Grove including Advocate Health Care, Dover Corporation, Pepperidge Farm, DeVry, Inc. and Sanford, maker of Sharpie and Paper Mate. Highly ranked schools were a top factor in Downers Grove being named one of the Top 10 Livable Cities for kids by Livability.com. Downers Grove has also been recognized by Forbes as one of America's Friendliest Towns.

2018 Holiday Schedule

Most Village offices will be closed on the following holidays:New Years Day, Monday, January 1Memorial Day, Monday, May 28Independence Day, Wednesday, July 4Labor Day, Monday, September 3Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 22 & Friday, November 23Christmas, Monday, December 24 & Tuesday, December 25

† Note: Certain GPS devices/services do not always show accurate information to the Village address. Village Hall is located, south of the BNSF railroad tracks, east of Washington St.